PRODUCTIVE AND ECO-SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION

Investment plan for the productive digital and eco-sustainable transition of KF SRL: from “piece by piece” subcontracting to internal, efficient, and industrialized lines within the Lean mentality. Call for support of productive investments aimed at business innovation PR-FESR 2021-2027 – Action 1.3.1

Project Description:

As part of the project funded by the “Call for support of productive investments aimed at business innovation,” the advanced digitalization process of the production flow has been completed and optimized through the creation of a fully automated production department.

Regarding the investments planned in the project, the following machinery, equipment, and services have been purchased, installed, configured, and connected:

• Integrated visual guidance system in production activities. The “Smart Robot” system can: verify and track the hand movements of each operator; ensure operators follow the sequences defined by the production plans; project the pick-up points in the correct sequence on the operational area; highlight individual parts to assemble; highlight and signal to the operator the tools to use in production activities and where to place them.
• Production lines consisting of customized benches for integration with Smart Robot and designed respecting the ergonomics of operators.
• Electric screwdrivers with weight zeroing support and integrated torque achievement control.
• Latest generation battery-powered electric pallet trucks.
• Cleanroom for dust contamination elimination interconnected to the MES for precise recording of internal environmental data. The cleanroom is complete with a climate control system and equipped with an AMR-operated door for automated access.
• Civil and masonry work aimed at adapting the site for the installation of production lines.
• Specialist consulting activities. Having identified the skill gap necessary for an efficient digital transition, highlighted by the high number of new technologies introduced, it was necessary to integrate the company’s cultural baggage with specific vertical skills, for which external consultancy was used.
• The Smart Robots units are also connected with the screwdrivers and other tools defined in the production plan. The “Digital Governance” enabled by the MES (Manufacturing Execution System) tool also allowed for “End To End” traceability of all components and the respective assembly phases.
• Civil works, functional to the definition of the production area, on an area of approximately 600sqm, where the following are positioned:
  • Two complete production lines, one of which is housed in a cleanroom.
  • Two LEAN workstations for micro-lot production (single operator production call).
  • Central parking area (production buffer) to the production department floor.
  • Accessory civil works such as redefinition of service spaces (service area, changing rooms, accessory technical rooms, server room, inverter room, opening communication openings with office area).

Achieved Objectives:

Thanks to this project, KF has achieved the objectives set in the digital transformation plan, namely:

• Transformation of the production model from external subcontractor to internal process.
• Reduction of order lead times thanks to the internalization of production.
• Dimensioning of production lines in accordance with expected production targets.
• Improvement of product quality through reduction of non-conformities thanks to real-time guidance and monitoring systems of production phases and related operations.
• End-to-End traceability of the production process with the support of digital technologies.
• Interconnection between the production management system (MES) and the management system (ERP).